Zap Apples, The Forbidden Fruit

"C'mon Rainbow Dash, you gotta keep up if you're gonna beat me," Applejack called behind her as she and Rainbow Dash hoof raced through Sweet Apple Acres.  Rainbow Dash was the fastest flier in Ponyville but on the ground she was slightly above average at best and Applejack wasn't pulling any punches this time.

    "Applejack, no fair.  You tied my wings down and it's throwing off my balance.  How can I beat you when all this awesome is tied up and can't even run right?"

    "Sugarcube, you're runnin' just fine to me and I ain't stoppin just cuz you ain't winnin'."

    Passing the finish line, Applejack bucked the air to celebrate as Rainbow Dash was panting at a fast trot trying to pass the finish line without getting kicked.  Catching her breath Rainbow Dash challenged for a rematch. "You only won because I couldn't use my wings for balance and that's the same as cheating so you didn't win; I win by default."

    Jumping into the air and pumping her hooves Rainbow Dash then fell to the ground. "Ow! I forgot my wings were tied."

    Laughing as she pranced over proudly Applejack gloated. "Well looks like you remember as good as you run.  You okay?  That looked like it hurt."

    Sitting up Rainbow Dash began to untie her bindings yelping in pain as she struggled against the cloth that held her wings to her body.  The binds were too strong to rip and tight enough to pull small feathers from her wings. "Get this offa me," she began to shout as panic took over her rational mind.  The feeling of her wings being tied down was uncomfortable as it was but being unable to free them terrified the athletic mare to her core.

    The humor of the moment left as Applejack untied the knot on her back and her wings flew open smacking Applejack in the chest knocking her to the ground as Rainbow Dash flew into the air.  "I'll win the next one so ya better be ready and no tying my wings down next time," Rainbow shouted as she stuck her tongue out and flew away.

"That mare is one sore loser," mused Applejack as she got up and went back home to check on Applebloom and Big Mac's dinner progress.

Stupid earth pony racing.  If she had wings she wouldn't last a second against me in the air.  I can't believe she beat me. THEN I forgot I had no use of my wings and fell and bruised my hip, it still hurts.  This is so flocking dumb. I'm the best most awesome stunt and acrobatic pony in Equestria and I lost to a glorified gardener.  Gruh! What am I saying, she won fair and square and she's one of my best friends.  Just cuz she beat me on the ground doesn't mean I'll lose the next match.

    "Eh Sugarcube, it's been a couple days, ya ready for another challenge since I whupped ya at racing?  And don't go spoutin' none of your flying nonsense; we're playin' on an equal field and you know it.  How about tug o' war or hop scotch?"

Applejack had met Rainbow Dash outside the far end of Sweet Apple Acres where a fence divided their land from nature beyond and she was eager to win another race but her face fell when she saw Rainbow land and wince as her body let gravity take hold.

    "Meh, I don't feel like a challenge today, can we just chillax for once?"

    "What?  Since when don't you wanna try to beat me?  Did my win hurt that bad?"

    "No, but that fall hurt my hip and I can't focus on winning when my awesome gland is distracted by my throbbing flank muscles."

    Applejack trotted and sat down on a grassy knoll and patted the ground beckoning Rainbow Dash to sit next to her.  The grass was warm and soft; the air smelt of apples and sweet flowers and there was a light breeze that ruffled their manes as they sat in silence for a minute enjoying the afternoon sun on their faces.

    "Sugarcube, can ah ask you something?

    "You just did," Rainbow smugly replied.

    "You know what I mean Rainbow Dash.  My question is this:  Why are you such a hothead?"

    "What?  I'm not a hothead.   I'm the best and everyone should know it."

    "Now, that's exactly what I mean.  You spout to everyone you're the best but cha ain't, else I wouldn'ta beat you at that race and you wouldn't have let Soarin dump you so he could get with that one mare."

    Gasping and moving away Rainbow growled.  "You don't have any right to bring that up AJ.   You know I dumped him because of reasons," Rainbow looked at the ground and punched it before continuing, "and he rebounded onto that filly floozy and it'll end just the way it started.  With him crying over me, not the other way around."

    "Now, you know I didn't mean it like that, Ah just mean you gotta admit defeat someday.  You ain't better than everypony else in the world and you ain't gonna get a stallion to rut you with your attitude," Applejack said flatly as she poked Rainbow in the ribs.

    "Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah.  I never said anything about having some random stallion do me, but if I did, I know I'd fluff his clouds and give him the thunderstorm of a lifetime," Rainbow bluntly said with a half smile.

    "Haha, I don't know what you and you Pegasus are talking about but I know what you mean.  Hey, did you and Soarin ever..."

    Rainbow Dash blushed and looked at the ground. "You're turning purple?  Oh ho you did!  I can't believe it, what're the odds you'd ... Oh, pretty darn good knowin’ you." Applejack laughed as Rainbow started pawing the ground as she mumbled something. "So, how was it?  Did he... rock your rainbows into a cumbulus storm?"

    "Applejack, that doesn't make any sense.  But yes, okay we did it and it was okay.  He said it was the best he ever had and, that hurt a lot," she paused.  "He left me, like, every time right after he was done and he always said I was the best he'd ever had like he got around a lot."

"Well, it's his loss and now he gets some floosy and we get the great Rainbow Dash.  Yer better off without him."

    Rainbow Dash punched Applejack in the foreleg then opened her wings and hovered. "Thanks, maybe you're kinda awesome too.  I'll see you later."  Rainbow didn't wait for a reply as she flapped quickly and took off into the sky leaving her rainbow trail aimed toward town.

Applejack sighed as she watched the trail dissipate into the air and smiled as she reached and touched the spot she was just punched.  I can't believe that happened.  She hits like a filly but dang...